Lost gardens of Heligan

Here are some of the photos I took, they don't go close to doing the place justice.

www.zyxwv.co.uk/heligan

 

went three weeks ago brilliant

 

Rich we have been there a few times.It is a fantastic place esecially the nature reserve.In fact all of it was nice.Needed a day there though

 

Although I could easily do a Google on Heligan, thought I would ask on G.C. out of interest for myself and probably many others on the forum.
What is the history behind Heligan Gardens please?

Cheers!
Royster

 

Think it was left to a guy in a relatives will. He had no idea about it until it was left to him, thoroughly overgrown and untouched for years. So if I've any distant rellys reading this who are about to pop their clogs - I want one of those!!! :D :D

 

Heligan was discovered in 1990 after 75 years of neglect.The land used to belong to the Tremayne family and consisted of over 1,000 acres,of which almost 200 acres have now been restored.

The gardens fell into neglect when a great many of the staff enlisted in the Great War of 1914-1918.The majority of the staff lost their lives in that war and the Tremayne family slowly lost interest,because new staff could not be found.
Heligan House was used as a convelesant hospital for the wounded in that war,but eventually that fell also into neglect.

Around 1970 the house was sold off, due to death duties so now is owned by new owners and so isn't part of the lost gardens.

Tim Smit started the project in 1990 and with help from volunteers hacked away the 200 acres that is now open to the public.
It is an ongoing project and well worth a visit.
Hope this helps...

 

spot on Kandy,i went there but couldnt find it :D :D

 

Hi Macleaf.We used to pass the signs with Heligan's name on it when they first started clearing it as we were flying past.It was only after Channel 4 did the documentary about how it all started after the gardens were rediscovered.The rest is history...

 

Windy :D :D !
Keith MacLeaf :D :D !

Kandy - thanks for the info. Totally and thoroughly interesting!!
I presume there is more than 1 book written about the place and its history but I would guess that we have to wait and see if there will be further documentaries and perhaps a movie based on the Lost Gardens of Heligan. Wouldn't that be wonderful!!

Royster

 

Royster.If you look at the Heligan website,there is loads of information about the books videos and DVD's and everything to do with Heligan.
I would reccomend everyone to visit the place.We haven't done Eden yet as we think Heligan is far better value

 

Many thanks once again Kandy - I will most certainly do so!
I have to wonder how many other lost gardens are out there somewhere, many of which will not have such a fortunate reunion with society as did Heligan...?
Its really, really sad to contemplate!

Kind regards
Roy

 

The saddest part I think is the pencil writing on one of the outside privvy walls that one of the youngsters wrote,a piece of Graffiti even in those days,now covered in perspex to preserve it for all time

 

Roy - The best coverage of Heligan I know of was the Channel 4 programmes - the Lost Gardens of Heligan and Return to the Lost Gardens of Heligan. I managed to find the videos on Amazon - well worth the small price.

There is also Tim Smit's book.

Amazingly he found the gardens quite by accident, having moved to Cornwall from London when he met the newly inherited owner.

When I visited I wondered why it did not feel or look like other gardens - til I realised it is less a celebration of the garden, but more a celebration of those gardeners past, including the large number that did not return from the first world war.

 

So it would seem Kandy and Fran that Heligan is indeed a sad place - a place to "celebrate" loss, not only of people during and since the war but also a loss of the garden itself. So in some ways its like a very beautiful grave stone that had been consumed by the surrounding plant life, only to be resurrected unto its original glory, but in a somewhat different light than before.
Happiness with lots and lots of sadness all intermingled!

Roy

 

I absolutely loved Heligan.
This is me and Mrs Roders there 2003...
Will never forget that day.